How to Activate Android Voice Commands

While Google Now is part and parcel of Android devices, only some users actively use in their day to day lives. Have you ever made use voice commands on your Android device? How to did you enable it? Is it as simple as saying “OK Google Now” or did you use a different keyword?

There are a number ways you can have your Android phone’s Google Now mic activated and start making it your everyday companion. Some of the following activation commands will work depending on the particular Android OS version that your phone is running on.

1. For Android 4.1 and above: “Ok Google” with Launcher

Most Android users probably know about this particular activation command, but did you know can enhance its effectiveness by having the Google Now launcher installed on your Android device. The launcher’s features may not be necessary if your device is running on an OS version above Jellybean or KitKat, but is still worth a try.

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Open the launcher app directly from the download page or go to your device’s Settings, under the Device section head into the Home option (this will depend on the Android version you are on). Select Google Now launcher as a default.

If you were unable to before, you will now be able to use your voice from the home screen to have Google Now activated.

2. For Android 4.1 and above: Swipe from the home button

Google Now can be launched from a locked screen or any other screen by simply swiping upwards from the centered home button. This is the easiest way to access voice commands, especially for those who are yet to get an Android 5.0 or Marshmallow update and requires no additional app downloads to work properly.

To know if you have launched Google Now correctly, you’ll notice a large Google icon rising as your finger swipes up from the home button.

Once its at the top of the screen, you can just tap the microphone icon and speak up whatever inquiries you may have.

3. For Android 6.0 and beyond: Google Now on Tap

With the introduction of Android Marshmallow, Google Now has become even more efficient as well as being much easier to use. Google Now on Tap isn’t primarily a voice controlled functionality, but is does provide some of the function’s advantages.

From any screen, press and hold the home button until a contextual menu pops up. The pop up menu allows you to make further additional inquiries via voice command. Simply tap the microphone icon at the top or just say “OK Google”.

4. For Samsung Devices: Samsung S Voice

Samsung devices come with an S Voice feature designed to cater all your voice commands needs. S Voice gives you almost complete control of your phone with just the use of your voice chords.

First off, you’ll need to enable the S Voice command feature before you can begin using it. It is usually turned off by default on Samsung devices, but you can do the following to enable it:

Head into your Settings

Locate the S Voice option towards the bottom and then enable it, if disabled.

From here on, you can press the home button twice simultaneously, whenever you need to make an S Voice command.

You also have the option of customizing your S Voice options by tapping the three-dots menu icon.

5. Say “Ok Google Now”

For phones that support the feature, you can simply say “Ok Google Now” from any screen, and even while your phone is on standby to launch voice commands. To enable it, go to Settings >> Touchless controls.

Once its enabled, the only thing to do is say “Ok Google Now”.

Do you use any Google voice commands? How often? Let us know in the comments.

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